Samsung has abandoned plans to equip the Galaxy S27 Ultra with a mechanical variable aperture, a Korean industry report says. The company briefly tested related camera modules with component suppliers but decided not to include the technology in its 2027 flagship plans.
Variable aperture physically adjusts how much light reaches the sensor by opening wider for low light and closing in brighter conditions, and it can offer more control over depth of field. Samsung first used the feature on the Galaxy S9 in 2018, kept it on the Galaxy S10 in 2019, and removed it from the Galaxy S20 in 2020. No Galaxy model has offered variable aperture since.
Why Samsung dropped variable aperture plans
The report says Samsung judged the mechanical solution added components that made camera modules more complex and thicker, running counter to the company’s design priorities. Executives reportedly concluded the real-world benefits would not justify the additional manufacturing cost and increased thickness. In recent years Samsung has placed greater emphasis on software and computational photography to improve image quality, an approach the Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to continue. The report also notes Samsung is dropping the 3x zoom camera on the S27 Ultra.
If the report is accurate, Apple could gain a camera edge: the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are likely to introduce variable aperture cameras later this year. Early rumors do not suggest Samsung will reverse course, though there remains time for the company to alter its plans before launch.
